NO. 9: 2003-04 TEAM

Hakim Warrick led Syracuse in both scoring and rebounding. Still, Gerry McNamara was Syracuse's main guy in this season. The following year, Warrick would lead Syracuse in scoring and rebounding again and, by then, Warrick had become a real force. He would be the Big East's Player of the Year in 2005.

But not in 2004. Warrick racked up some nice numbers (19.8 points, 8.6 rebounds), but McNamara scored 17.2 points per game, hoisted up 270 3-pointers and made a career-best 38.9 percent of them and led the team in assists with 118.

Unsung hero: Craig Forth

This was Craig Forth's best year in his Syracuse career. The 7-foot center, now a junior, averaged 5.7 points and 5.8 rebounds in just 23 minutes per game.

Forth split time with Jeremy McNeil, but even though McNeil had the reputation of a defender/shot-blocker, Forth actually led the team in blocks with 63.

Most memorable game: BYU

In any other year, Syracuse's 57-54 win at Georgetown on Gerry McNamara's buzzer-beating 3-pointer would have been the most memorable game.

Gerry McNamara looks up at the scoreboard at the end of Syracuse's win over BYU in the 2004 NCAA tournament. McNamara scored 43 points in the Orange's win.Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com

Or maybe, Syracuse's 49-46 overtime win at Pittsburgh. That was Pitt's first loss at the Petersen Events Center where the Panthers had won 40 straight games.

But this was easy. Gerry McNamara's record-setting 43-point performance against BYU in the NCAA tournament stands out in the 2003-04 campaign.

McNamara set a school record for most points in an NCAA tournament game. He hit 11 out of 17 shots from the field and 9-of-13 3-pointers. His nine threes set a school record for any game. The 43 points were the most for a Syracuse player since Bill Smith scored 47 against Lafayette in 1971.

Syracuse needed every one of McNamara's 43 points to beat BYU. The Cougars led 73-72 with less than four minutes to go in the game. Hakim Warrick put Syracuse ahead on a layup and then McNamara's ninth 3-pointer of the game gave Syracuse a 77-73 lead, which it would hold onto.

Why I ranked this team No. 9

I like this team for what it did in the year after winning the NCAA championship. The Orangemen proved that the 2003 team wasn't all just Carmelo Anthony.

In fact, Syracuse was 14-3 before Billy Edelin suddenly left the team. After losing three of the first five games following Edelin's departure, Syracuse righted itself, winning the last five games in the regular season.

Syracuse's wins over BYU and Maryland were particularly impressive. The loss to a very good Alabama team in the Sweet 16 by the score of 80-71 hardly diminishes what this team accomplished.